This
festival is celebrated by Singapore's Hindu community, which makes up about 6%
of the countries population, in honor of
Lord Subrahmanya (also known as Lord Murugan) who represents virtue, youth and
power and is the destroyer of evil.
Subramanya or Muruga is the son of Lord Shiva. Brahmanya denotes one who has realized Brahman and attained the highest knowledge. The prefixed Su to the name adds adulation to it. Or, the one who has scaled the highest peak in jnana. Hence, it is that Lord Subrahmanya is exemplified as the God of knowledge.

Considered
the universal granter of wishes. All those who wish to ask for a future favor, fulfill a vow in return for a
granted favor, or to repent for past sins will participate in this festival. A spectacular four-kilometer procession
begins at Serangoon Road and goes on to the Layan Sithi Vinayagar Temple at
Keong Siak Road.

The first devotees set off in the early hours of the morning carrying milk pots
as offerings to Lord Subrahmanya. Following them are some devotees for whom the
festival is a display of faith and mind over matter as they pierce their tongues
with metal skewers. Others attach large metal frames called kavadis to their
bodies using an array of hooks and spikes. During the procession these highly
dedicated participants - who undergo a strict regime before they proceed to
carry the kavadi - are joined by supporters who drum and chant to keep up their
morale.Called a major
celebration, from appearances more on the part of the supporters than the ones
suffering the piercing of religious fervor. I was told that this practice is
banned in India and wonder if the approval of the Singaporean government is
based on religious tolerance or the believe that the Hindu community is best
left to their own devices and not offered the same "protections" as given the
Chinese population in this big brother of a state. Regardless it made good
theater and does serve as a rebuttal to those that say that Singapore is too
homogenized.

In fact Singapore seems to thrive
on staging events as part of their self marketing and the other South East
Asians can all but try to keep up. If there's not a festival, a holiday or some
observance being held somewhere on the island it's a rare day indeed. There need be little excuse to promote the
activity of exchanging presents or food.